51 Years Old. Tingling Sensation On Upper Torso And Pins And Needles In Upper Back. Prognosis?

Posted on Thu, 28 Feb 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 Answered on

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I am 51 year old woman, and for about 10 years now , off and on my upper torso will get tingly for a few minutes and then go away. It just did it again today , but I haven't had one for about a year or so. What is that ? Their is no pain , just tingly like pins and needles in upper back -- sometimes it goes into my front too and goes down my arms . But not always.

Answered by Dr. Payman Hajiazim (14 minutes later)

Hi there, thanks for asking. Neck disc problems are very common in the middle age and it can cause a shooting tingling sensation in the torso, in the arms or both. People who work in a position that their neck is bent forward for long hours are most vulnerable to this situation.
For the assessment, you may tell your doctor to examine and also he can ask for X rays from your neck with anterior-posterior view, lateral view, and also oblique views. I recommend it especially if the frequency is increased.
Fir prevention from the progression, some exercises which focus on the muscles around the back and neck are recommended.
If you find some transient problems in the vision, in your walking, etc then it is good to evaluate your brain for some diseases like MS, etc. Fortunately it is very unlikely for your situation.
I wish you a good health!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar